Certain adoptions in Arkansas could be considered criminal

ARKANSAS.– Adoptions in Arkansas will soon be considered criminal under a Senate bill that goes into effect July 24, 2019.

The bill will consider certain adoptions to be human trafficking violations. The bill defines human trafficking as forcing a woman into adoption for personal profit or financial gain.

It also criminalizes the solicitation of a woman to place her child up for adoption.

Attorney Josh Bryant, who helped draft the bill, said, “because of that economic influence into adoption are now going to be criminalized and going to give prosecutors and law enforcement agencies some teeth and some ammunition to be able to step in and stop some of the things that are going on.”

This comes after a couple paid thousands of dollars for a child that never even existed.

Bryant told KNWA that adoptions can be done ethically, and provided the following tips for families looking to adopt:

Hire a reputable attorney, who will insist that a mother has private counsel on their own and receives services necessary for a healthy pregnancy and postpartum recovery

Track where the money is going

Know who the translator is; ensure they are trustworthy and reputable

Arkansas will be the 13 state to define the selling of a child to be human trafficking.